


Lights

by Multishipperlove



Series: Tumblr Prompts [13]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dissociation, Emotional Support Animal Frumpkin, Fire, M/M, Neurodivergent Caleb, PTSD, Song fic, This fic mostly deals with the aftermath of all the before mentioned issues, no graphic descriptions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28229316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multishipperlove/pseuds/Multishipperlove
Summary: Molly comes home and immediately realises that something is wrong. The candle night dinner Caleb was trying to make might have something to do with it.
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Series: Tumblr Prompts [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623151
Comments: 6
Kudos: 81





	Lights

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt:  
> [prompt post] widomauk - light (sleeping at last) (wouldn't be a widomauk song prompt if it didn't have sleeping at last would it)

May these words be the first / To find your ears  
The world is brighter than the sun / Now that you're here  
Though your eyes will need some time to adjust  
To the overwhelming light surrounding us 

*

Molly knew something was wrong when he stepped into their shared apartment and was greeted by silence. Silence, and darkness. Not quite the fine Zemnian dinner he'd been promised that morning, though there was the undeniable smell of red cabbage and roasted potatoes wafting through the air, and something that smelled awfully close to roasted pork.

With an audible click Molly closed the door behind himself and stepped into the room with a soft sigh. “Caleb?” he called out gently, not expecting an answer and not getting one just yet. “Caleb, dear, I'm going to turn on the light, don't be frightened.”

Moving through the living room he took off his shoes and jacket, turning every light switch he came across but keeping them dim, tying up his hair and humming softly as he went along. It was a pattern, something he did almost every day when he came home, and he knew the familiarity would help. If Caleb could hear him, at least.

“Caleb?” he called again, coming to the kitchen then, and seeing the table already set up for two. The plates were full, and Molly realised that it really was roasted pork that he'd smelled. A candle stood in the middle of the table, and four burned matches lay in front of it, but the wick had never been touched by fire.

Before he could reach out to touch any of it though Molly heard the telltale pitter-patter of Frumpkin, and a second later the cat was rubbing up against his legs and purring softly, giving a quiet mew as he looked up. “Ah, hi there,” Molly whispered, squatting down for a moment to pet the insistent animal, his smile widening as Frumpkin pushed up into his hand. “Alright, go ahead, show me where he's hiding.”

A gentle nudge was enough to get the cat going, and Molly wasn't surprised as he was lead to the bedroom, Frumpkin pushing through the small crack in the door first with another little chirp. Pushing the door the rest of the way open Molly could already see red hair poking out from behind the bed, where Caleb was sitting with his back to the door.

All things considered, it could be worse. He wasn't mumbling to himself, didn't have his knees drawn up all the way to his chest or was rocking back and forth while covering his ears. Instead Molly could hear him humming to himself, the same little melody he'd been following himself only minutes ago, and as soon as Frumpkin jumped in his lap again he lifted a hand to run his fingers through the soft fur. “Hello darling,” Molly repeated again, his voice soft now as he stepped into Caleb's field of view. “I'm going to turn the lights on, alright? Close your eyes for a moment.”

As soon as Caleb followed the instruction Molly reached over to the bedside table, once more turning on the light and dimming it to a level he knew would be acceptable. “There we go.”

Laying a hand on Caleb's shoulder he leaned closer, pressing a kiss to his lover's forehead and letting his lips linger for a moment. Underneath him Caleb took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds and then releasing it slowly, and then the hand that had still been buried in Frumpkin's fur suddenly reached up to wrap around Molly's wrist instead. “The meat wasn't a good idea,” he mumbled, his voice a little rough but the attempt at a joke still obvious to Molly, who couldn't help but chuckle softly.

“No, no I suppose it wasn't. Neither was the candle, love, but that's alright.” Sitting down he got comfortable beside Caleb, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and letting him lean in.

“The food's getting cold,” Caleb muttered, still holding Molly's wrist though and making no move to get up just yet.

“Well, that's what the microwave is for,” Molly hummed back, resting his head on Caleb's. “We can sit here for a few more minutes, I think. Want to talk about it?”

Caleb sighed in return. “Not really. The smell was... a lot. And then I tried lighting the candle, but I just kept staring into the flame.”

“Did you burn your fingers again?” Molly was more curious than actually concerned. Their first aid kit was well stocked with band aids and burn ointments, and the last trip to the hospital had been a while ago.

But Caleb shook his head. “No, not this time. It's all good.”

Molly nodded, and they stayed silent for a few minutes. Caleb even relaxed his grip on Molly's wrist, intertwining their fingers instead to hold hands and gently stroke his thumb over the back of the tiefling's hand.

“Hey, Molly?” he whispered after a while, giving his hand a squeeze and getting a soft grunt in return that meant the other was listening. “Thank you for turning on the light.”

Molly smiled. “Always, darling. That's what I'm here for.”


End file.
